Rose Run Valor and Yo Mister shared the Miami Valley spotlight on Wednesday, April 19, as the former won the $34,000 Open Handicap Trot and the latter won the championship leg of the $30,000 Dr. Dan Farwick Memorial Trotting Series.
It was the second straight win and sixth on the season for Rose Run Valor, whose earnings increased to $104,240 already this year. The Kayne Kauffman-trained and driven six-year-old son of Uncle Peter bested Fawn De Touch (Tony Hall), who has been runner-up in the weekly top trot three of the last four weeks, Smoking Jet (Chris Page) and The Mighty Hill (Trevor Smith).
Kauffman rocketed Rose Run Valor out from behind the gate then let Smoking Jet cross over in front early in the initial quarter, timed in :27.3. Rose Run Valor followed Smoking Jet through middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:25.2, then waited patiently through the stretch until room along the pylons appeared. The winner’s final panel of :27.4 yielded a half-length victory, good for a $14 win mutual.
Natalie Kauffman owns Rose Run Valor, who made $99,105 last season and has already surpassed that figure in 2023.
Yo Mister (Brett Miller) stalked Jusmakinyalook (Robert Taylor) throughout the Farwick final then popped the pocket at the head of the stretch and cruised to a 2-1/4-length win. Sandis Commando L (Hank Levan) was third and Ferretti (Hall) and B Medithree (Sandy Beatty) deadheated for fourth in the competitive conclusion to the series designed for non-winners of six races at the start of the late closer.
Stacy Van Huizen trains the four-year-old by Dover Dan for Thestable Yo Mister fractional ownership group. The winner has now won four races in a row and equalled his lifetime best with the 1:54.1 score. As the second choice, he paid $6.20 to his backers.
After the Thursday, April 20 program at 4 p.m., only two weeks remain in the 2023 season at Miami Valley. Packed into those two weeks are four James K. Hackett finals, the first legs of all four Buckeye Stallion Series and the first legs of all four Ohio Sires Stakes—all featuring Ohio’s top three-year-olds.
Closing weekend will include the inaugural $100,000 “Pace Baby Pace” FFA by Invitation. Interested owners or trainers should contact Race Secretary Gregg Keidel at 513-934-7336 if interested.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)